A moment of clarity
by TheSilverboar
Summary: A moment of clarity, that was all it took to change the path of Ash Ketchum after the spearrow flock attack and the team rocket raid on the Viridian city Pokemon center. Determined to do his journey and do it right, Ash ketchum sets out to make sure he not only gets the title of Pokemon master, but deserves it as well. (Pairing undecided)
1. Chapter 1

**AN: Great news everybody! My copyright finally went through so this mega update is to celebrate! My short story is called 'The Stranger' and you can find it on amazon. There will be a link to it on the Facebook page for my stories. I want to thank everyone for supporting as I write and for anyone who ends up getting my story. This is hopefully the latest step to becoming a full-time writer.**

A moment of Clarity 1

Chapter 1

-Ash-

Frowning, Ash Ketchum sat in the windowsill of his room in Viridian City, lights easily spotted in the distance as the police did a final sweep of the wreckage of the Pokémon center that had been damaged in the Team Rocket attack. With the center being out of commission the various trainers were being hosted in a hotel, the league covering a portion of the prices. In all honestly Ash was just grateful that he and Pikachu weren't being punished as it was Team Rocket's fault, both for attacking and having a poison type fill the building with easily combustible smoke. Either way though, they had won the day not because they were stronger than the Team Rocket duo, not because they were smarter than the two criminals, but because they got lucky.

"Pika." Hearing the soft voice of his starter, Ash looked down to see the moues Pokémon looking up at him in concern.

"Hey pal," he rubbed the pokemon's head as Pikachu smiled and leaned into the affection, "I'm just thinking. We got pretty lucky there earlier, didn't we?" his starter gave a small frown but nodded reluctantly. The sun slowly began to rise in the distance, painting the Viridian forest in a hue of brilliant gold, the light reflecting in the fallen rain. In that sunrise, a moment of clarity struck him. He wanted to be a Master trainer, but he had never really worked for it. Gary had at least studied before they began their journeys even if the guy was an ass.

"Come on Pikachu," he got up, packing up his bag, brimming with energy despite the early hour "we have work to do."

"Pika?" the little mouse tilted its head in confusion but jumped up on his shoulder anyway. Getting down to the lobby he walked over to the concierge.

"Leaving already sir?" the man asked, surprised at him departing so early.

"Yeah, I've got to get going." He passed they key over "I have work to do." Shouldering his pack, he departed the hotel, heading back to the forest between Viridian and Pallet.

"Pi Pika." His starter frowned confused pointing towards the opposite end of the city.

"We'll go that way in a bit." He assured his starter "For now, we have something that needs to be done." At the confused head tilt, he clenched his fist "We're finding that spearow from earlier and catching him."

"Pika?!" the small moues Pokémon let out a startled cry and almost fell of his shoulder, before regaining his balance and sent him a questioning look.

"That spearow was strong and a sign that this journey isn't going to be easy. I'm thinking we catch him and actually take this seriously. We beat him and that should hopefully earn us some respect from him and we can try to get a strong friend out of it."

"Cha." Pikachu looked nervous and didn't quite believe him but didn't argue as they entered the woods once more.

Following the path, they had fled upon the day before, Ash kept his eyes and ears open, seeing the signs of their frantic run. Parts of the path and the trees on the side still scorched from lightning strikes, "Think that was you or the storm?" he joked, bumping Pikachu when they passed a very charred tree only to get slapped by Pikachu's tail "Ow!"

"Row!" the familiar cry had them both on edge as Pikachu instantly leaping down and looking about for any sign of attack. At the sound of rustling leaves Ash leapt back and dodged a divebombing spearow, an angry gleam in the pokemon's eyes at the sight of them.

"Wondered when you'd find us." He never took his eyes off the Pokémon, noting the bump on its head from when it got nailed with a rock as he tried to catch a Pokémon without Pikachu's help. "I came to do a battle properly this time." He told the spearow who paused, eyeing him warily "No rocks from me and no flock from you."

"Row!" the idea of payback overrode any hesitation of fighting an electric type as Spearow got into a ready stance.

"Pikachu, agility!" he ordered, starting the battle as Pikachu let out a cry and began shooting about the road, building up his speed and reflexes to avoid any coming attacks.

"Row row row!" Spearow goes airborne and flaps its wings hard, whipping up a swirling flurry of sand that filled the road.

"Pika!" his starter stumbled when the flurrying sand filled the mouse's eyes, blinding the Pokémon.

"Pikachu hit the deck!" he yelled out, the sand having not reaching him, so he was still able to see. Pikachu didn't hesitate and dove to the ground, Spearow, going right over top of the small mouse Pokémon. "Thunder shock, ten o'clock!"

"Pika!" a small bolt of lightning was sent at the Spearow who barrel rolled to the side, dodging the blast with ease.

"Spearow!" the bird pokemon's wings started to glow before taking a metallic sheen, swinging them at Pikachu like spears with each swooping strike. Directing his blinded partner to avoid each attack from the bird Pokémon he suddenly came up with an idea.

"Pikachu, do what we did at the center!" he called out with a smirk as Pikachu matched it, eyes still closed as the small Pokémon began to build up electricity. Again, and again Spearow swooped down to try and attack Pikachu as Ash directed his starter to avoid the strikes, timing each swoop. "Now fire straight up!" he yelled, Pikachu managing to catch Spearow directly in the gut with a thunderbolt.

"Row!" the surprised bird Pokémon slams down into the ground, twitching from the powerful point blank lightning attack.

"Quick attack into headbutt!" Ash called out, "Three o'clock!" with a yell Pikachu charged towards where he directed and slammed into the Spearow, ending the battle. Seeing the spearow no longer fighting he threw a Pokéball, the orb sucking the bird Pokémon inside and shaking for a moment before clicking shut. "Way to go buddy." he grinned, going over to Pikachu and pouring water from his canteen to wash the sand from the electric mouse's eyes, "We got a new partner now."

"Pika!" his starter cheered, running over to Spearow's Pokéball and bringing it back over.

"Come on out." He tossed the Pokéball to reveal a conscious but very surly spearow, "Now hold still, this'll sting a bit." Pulling out a potion he sprayed the confused bird.

"SPEAROW!"

-Misty-

Yawning, the youngest Cerulean sister got out of bed and got ready for the day, determined to get a new bike from that idiot who blew up the Pokémon center. Fully dressed she threw open her door and walked to the one across the hall, banging her fist hard on the dor. "Ketchum!" she yelled, her pounding rattling the door in its frame "Get your skinny ass out here and pay for my bike damnit!" there wasn't any response which only served to piss her off more "I know you can hear me you idiot!"

"What's all this racket?" a sleepy voice from down the hall questioned irritably as some brunet trainer poked his head out, "You said something about Ashy-boy?"

"You know that moron?" she demanded, wondering if this guy was a friend of the bike destroyer.

"You certainly do if you're calling him that!" the brunette laughed "Dude's been an idiot since the day he was born. Honestly I'm surprised he managed to _get_ to Viridian."

"Well he did, and he BETTER OPEN THIS DAMN DOOR!" Misty resumed pounding on the offending barrier.

"Excuse me, but I'm going to have to ask you cease this action immediately." A stern voice scolded from the elevators as she and the amused brunette turned to see a hotel employee, "Mr. Ketchum is not even in this room at the moment."

"Did I get the wrong room number?" she asked confused, wondering if she just ticked off some other random stranger.

"No, that _was_ Mr. Ketchum's room, but he checked out a few hours ago and went to the Viridian path to Pallet Town, saying he had some work to do."

"What?!" she screamed out, outraged at the little shit trying to skip out on what he owed her. Grabbing her bag from the floor she shoved past the hotel worker and stormed off back towards the path to Pallet, determined to find the moron.

-Ash-

"You two ready?" Ash asked Pikachu and Spearow, both on his shoulders although the latter was still cranky from how painful the potion spray was. They were currently in the Viridian path to Pewter city, having left the pallet path just after he caught Spearow.

"Pika!" "Row!" they called out in tandem, both looking forward to more battles. Spearow had made it clear that he wouldn't be buddy buddy instantly, but the small bird Pokémon was willing to train after seeing how well Ash and Pikachu had battled to defeat him.

"Good, because we've got a lot of training to do." Ash's eyes burned with determination as they entered the forest, his two Pokémon giving battle hungry smirks to match.


	2. Chapter 2

**AN: Alright guys, I've already chosen Ash's team (for the Kanto arc) but I haven't chosen any shipping or travel companions so I'm taking suggestions on those. All I ask is that you give your reasoning why and please try to be creative with your suggestions, those are the most fun to write.**

 **AN2: I'm also wanting to nickname Ash's Pokémon, so I'm open to any suggestions. Only one so far has a chosen nickname and its going to be the last Pokémon Ash captures.**

A Moment of Clarity

Chapter 2

-Ash-

Munching on a protein bar, Ash flipped through search pages on the Pokédex, looking for training advice for Pikachu and spearow from more experienced trainers. His two partners sat on his shoulder, looking intently every time he found a video for them all to watch. Browsing through options on the Pokédex, he found a scanning function connected to his Pokéballs. Clicking the first, an image of Pikachu popped up.

"Species: Pikachu." Dexter spoke aloud "The moues Pokémon. Egg groups: Field and Fairy. Average height: one foot, four inches. Average weight: thirteen point two pounds. Move pool: Tail whip, thunder shock, growl, play nice, quick attack, thunder wave, thunder bolt, and volt tackle (egg move)."

Whistling, Ash glanced over at Pikachu who looked smug, "Not bad buddy." He nodded, "Alright Spearow, let's see what you know." Moving the cursor over to the second Pokéball, the image of Pikachu was replaced by an image of Spearow.

"Species: Spearow." Dexter spoke again as Spearow's eyes gleamed, "The Tiny bird Pokémon. Egg group: Flying. Average height: one foot. Average weight: four point four pounds. Move pool: Peck, growl, leer, pursuit, sand attack, sky attack (egg move)."

"Damn," Ash grinned, "you two have some strong egg moves, don't you?" his Pokémon preened smugly, "We'll have to work on our move pool, variety will do us some good." He told them as they nodded, eager to become strong. "Now, I'm thinking we only catch four more members for the team. The legal carry limit for a trainer without any major league victories or proof of ability is six Pokémon and I want to be able to focus on everyone to the fullest."

"Pika!" "Row!" his team crowed out together, eager to see him fulfill his promise to make them the strongest of their kind.

"Ash Ketchum of Pallet town!" a snide voice screamed as Ash turned to see a trainer wearing samurai armor charging him with a sword.

"Pikachu, thunderbolt!" Ash yelled, jumping back as his started blasted the other trainer with lightning, the samurai yelling and dropping the sword.

"Ow! Ow! Ow!" the samurai tried to get away from the electric attack, "Stop it!"

"You attacked me with a sword!" Ash yelled, eyes narrowed furiously but he gestured for Pikachu to stop the attack but have another one ready to fire at a moment's notice.

"I was just trying to test you." The Samurai tried shakily getting to his feet, his legs flailing at the residual electrical energy.

"You don't test people with a fucking sword you psychopath!" Ash yelled, glaring down at the trainer.

"Your cowardice shows then!" the samurai wannabe yelled, climbing up to his feet and trying to play off the attempted assault. "I have battled two of the four trainers of Pallet town. Both were fierce battles that I was unable to win. By crushing you I will regain my honor."

"You don't have honor." Ash deadpanned, ready to crush the asshole and get going so he could continue to Pewter.

"Go Pinsir!" the Samurai yelled, sending out a massive bug type.

"Spearow. Use Sky Attack." Ash ordered, not giving Samurai a chance to shout out his own command as his flying type shot skyward, staying out of the reach of the large Pokémon that kept trying to jump up and grab Spearow with its horns. As Spearow flew and dodged the more cumbersome Pinsir it began to glow brighter and brighter. Finally, when it was like looking at a small star, Spearow shot down and slammed into Pinsir from behind, the large bug type yelling out as his flying type hit him.

"Now hold on and use peck!" Ash called out, giving Samurai no room to breathe as Spearow began to peck furiously at Pinsir's back, the Pokémon unable to reach and too slow to catch the more agile flying Pokémon.

"Pinsir, grab it with your horns!" Samurai called out, ordering his Pokémon to do what it was already trying, and failing, to accomplish.

"Pin…sir." The massive bug type fell to the ground unconscious as Spearow crowed in victory.

"Wh-what?!" Samurai yelled, looking stunned, "That's impossible! The other trainers from Pallet town told me you were the weakest of them all!"

"Send out your second Pokémon or do you admit defeat? Ash ground out, ignoring the insult from the lunatic.

"Go metapod!"

"Pikachu, keep using thunderbolt." Ash rolled his eyes. In trying to take his training more seriously, he had done research on the Pokémon native to the Viridian forest and what type of attacks they were known to do. Metapod couldn't do anything but harden and string shot while they waited to evolve. With harden only raising physical defense, thunderbolt would continue to work just fine.

"No!" Samurai yelled out, pounding his fist on the ground in fury, "I wasn't supposed to lose!"

"Get over it." Ash rolled his eyes, noting the transfer of funds to his Pokédex at victory. Brushing past the asshole who was screaming and berating his Pokéballs, Ash continued on to Pewter, getting there within the hour.

"Excuse me." He knocked on the desk when he walked into the police station, "Anybody here?"

"Something wrong kid?" an officer Jenny asked, walking out from an office when he rang a desk bell.

"Yeah, there's some lunatic in Viridian forest threatening people with a sword to force them to battle." He deadpanned, showing a video on his Pokédex which kept a constant recording of what was going on around it for security purposes but only kept the last twenty-four hours unless instructed otherwise. "No idea where he got the Pinsir, those things aren't native to the Viridian forest and if he was still using a metapod as his only other Pokémon…"

"He probably got it in the Bug Catching contest over near Goldenrod city in Johto." The officer told him even as she copied a recording of the footage onto her computer, a couple of other police officers heading into the forest to collect the trainer. "Ever since they built that train from Goldenrod to Saffron, a lot of people from Kanto have gone over there to try and add a bug type to their team."

"Bug catching contest huh." Ash mused, "Thanks officer. Do you need me to stick around for anything?"

"We need to file an official report and it would be best for you not to leave town until everything is handled." The officer nodded, "I'll send an officer to go arrange for your stay at the center and they can take your team there to rest if you wish."

"A checkup would be good, thanks." Ash nodded with a smile to the officer, this Jenny far politer and more rational than the one down in Viridian. Pulling out his Pokéballs, he let out Spearow and told his two teammates what was going on as they went with the officer Jenny called over.

"Now for the fun part," Jenny sighed as she went to a drawer "paperwork."

-Gary-

"For the last time, stop following me!" Gary yelled to the orangette who had been following him since he left Viridian.

"No, that loser from your village still owes me a bike and until I get it, neither of you are going to be rid of me!" Misty screamed, her loud voice likely driving away every Pokémon for miles.

"Shut the hell up already!" Gary snapped, knowing his own shouting wouldn't really make matters worse anymore, "I'm trying to catch more Pokémon for my team, but your incessant screeching keeps scaring them off!"

"I do not screech!" Misty got up in his face.

"Gary Oak of Pallet town!" turning, Gary saw a guy in Samurai armor charging him and Misty with a sword. Before Gary could try and bring out one of his Pokémon to stop the lunatic, Misty screamed in fear and latched onto him from behind, teetering him backwards as her grip cut off his air.

"Psychic!" a new voice shouted as Gary saw two men in police uniforms, one of them using a Kadabra that flung the guy in samurai armor into a tree. "Damn, the kid wasn't kidding." The first officer grunted, putting handcuffs on the squirming man in armor, "You kids okay?"

"I will be if someone gets this crazy stalker off me!" Gary yelled, slamming Misty against a tree when she failed to get off or release her vice on his neck.

"Stalker?" the second officer frowned at seeing him slam her into a tree hard enough to daze the orangette.

"She's been following me since Viridian. She says someone from my home town destroyed her bike and that until he buys her a new one she's going to be following us. I can't even try to catch any Pokémon as she wouldn't stop screeching and scaring them off. The only one I saw, a weedle, I couldn't catch as she threw a rock at it to drive it off before I could try!"

"Is this true ma'am?" the first officer asked Misty.

"His loser friend torched my bike!" Misty screamed, "And they owe me a new one! I haven't been screaming and bugs are disgusting so of course I wanted it gone!"

Cleaning out their likely now hard of hearing ears, the two officers frowned, "I'm going to ask you both to come with us. You'll need to file reports about the incident involving this man at the station and we will be having words about the other matter."


End file.
